Back Talk: Stories

"Beautifully crafted . . . the sentences in these stories are living and seamless, as if Lazarin had run her hand over them until they became smooth and gleaming with the evidence of her touch." --Carmen Maria Machado, The New York Times Book Review

From an award-winning writer, a stunning collection of stories about women's unexpressed desires and needs, and the unexpected ways they resurface

In "Floor Plans," a woman at the end of her marriage tests her power when she inadvertently befriends the neighbor trying to buy her apartment. In "Appetite," a sixteen-year old grieving her mother's death experiences first love and questions how much more heartbreak she and her family can endure. In "Dinosaurs," a recent widower and a young babysitter help each other navigate how much they have to give--and how much they can take--from the people around them.

Through stories that are at once empathetic and unexpected, these women and girls defiantly push the boundaries between selfishness and self-possession. With a fresh voice and bold honesty, Back Talk examines how narrowly our culture allows women to express their desires.

"Deceptively quiet but packs a powerful punch . . . The best collection I've read in years, from a phenomenal new talent." --Celeste Ng

Author: Danielle Lazarin
Publisher: Penguin Books
Published: 02/06/2018
Pages: 256
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.40lbs
Size: 7.70h x 5.00w x 0.80d
ISBN: 9780143131472

Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 10/23/2017
Booklist 11/15/2017 pg. 23
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2018 pg. 16

About the Author
Danielle Lazarin's short stories have won grants from New York Foundation for the Arts and the Northern Manhattan Arts Alliance, the Glimmer Train Family Matters Award, and Hopwood Awards. She is a graduate of the writing programs of Oberlin College and the University of Michigan's Helen Zell Writers' Program. She lives in her native New York City with her husband and daughters.